Revolution indicator for churns



Nov. 1924 L1W64 L F. HEITZ REVOLUTION INDICATOR FOR CHURNS' Filed Avril17 1922 Patented Nov. 25, i924.

LEONftlRD HIEITZ, OF LAKE MELLS, WISGGNSIN, .EESEGNGB TO THE GREREJIERYPACKAGE ItiFG. COMPAHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 1i. CORPORATION 015ILLINGES.

REVOLUTION INDICATOR F03 CHUENS.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial No. 553,775.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LnoNAn-n F. Hnrrz, acitizen of the United States. residing at Lake Mills in the county ofJefferson and State t of i i isconsin. have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Revolution Indicators for Ghurns, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to devices for timing the operation of rotarychurns, and more particularly to a device for signaling the completionof a predetermined number of churn revolutions.

In the processesof churning and working It butter, the time consumed inaccomplishing the desired results varies appreciably with variableconditions in the cream and with other conditions well known to butterworkers.

The timing of these operations in the rotary type of commercial churn isusually controlled by operating the churn for a specific number ofrevolutions previously deteru'iined from the conditions mentioned.

The use of automatic means for recording the predetermined number ofrevolutions and signaling their completion is obviously desirable, as,it permits the operators occupation with other duties until signalled.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an automatic deviceof improved construction which maybe operatively at tached to a churn,orother apparatus'having revoluble or reciprocal parts'to actuate'the 35device and which may be selectively set to register the desired numberof recurring:

movements and sound a signal when they are completed. 7

Another object is to provide an indicating 0 signal device of thischaracter in which there are-few operating parts, and which is of simplesubstantial construction capable of effective continuous operation witha minimum of wear and adjustment.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the followingdescription of a pre ferred embodiment of my invention as applied to arotary churn, and which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device and fragmentsof the associated churn parts. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the parts.

The device comprises a standard 1 having a base portion 2 suitable forattachment to a stationary part of a churn. As illustrated herein thebase 2 is secured to the bearing cap 3 of the gudgeon bearing supportingone end of the churn drum. The base may be arranged to receive the capscrews 4i by which the bearing cap is secured to the main portion of thebearing, being thus rigidly supported.

The upright portion of the standard 1 carries a pivot pin. 6 having anon-rotativc longitudinally movable bearing support in the standard andextending through the latter.

A dial 7 is rotatively mounted on the for ward end of the pin 6, and isprovided with a hub 8 'havinga rear face of substantial area contactinga similar face provided on the standard 1. The dial is retained on thepin 6 by the flanged head 9 formed on the end of the pin, and its hub 8is held in resiliently 'tensioned contact with the standard 1 by meansof the compression spring 10 confined. between the opposite side of thestandard and the adjustable stop or nut 11 threaded on the rear end ofthe pin 6. The spring tension may be so adjusted as to cause sufiicientfriction between the abutting faces of the dial hub and the standard toprevent the dial from over-running when actuated as hereinafterdescribed.

The upper end of the standard 1 is preferably bifurcated to provide apair of spaced supports 12 which carry a reciprocatory bar 13 positionedsubstantially parallel to the plane of the dial 7. One end of the barpreferably terminates adjacent the periphery of the dial, the other endextending toward the churndrum andterminating near the path of thegudgeon siqpporting frame.

Herein is illustrated. an arm of a gudgeon support, upon the face ofwhich is preferably mounted a cam member 15 suitably secured thereto asby bolts 16. The cam 15 is located so. that with each revolution of thegudgeon it engages and actuates the reciprocatory bar 13. The latter maybe provided with an anti-friction roller 17 pivoted in the end of thebar for engagement by the cam.

The bar 13 is normally retained in position for engagement by the cam 15by resilient means preferably comprising a compression spring 18abutting the inner face of the outer support 12 and oppositely confinedby a cross pin 19 fixed in the bar 13.

A pawl 20 is pivotally secured on the end i the bar 18 adjacent thedial, as by means of the stud screw 21 its free end extending over andin operative engagement with the periphery of the dial.

The dial 7 is provided preferably about its outer periphery with seriesoI ratchet teeth 22 spaced so that the engaging pawl 2U rotates the dialthrough the distance of one tooth with each reciprocation of the bar 13.The face oi the dial may be marked with numerals indicating at intervalsthe number of teeth from a given point 0.

Suitable means for actuating an alarm may be associated with the dial.Herein is illustrated a cam 24L mounted on the rear face of the dial. Abell 25 oil any suitable construction operable to be sounded by theactuation of a contact member, is preferably mounted on the standard 1with its contact member 26 extending adjacent the rear face of the dialin position to be actuated by the cam 2d when the 0 point on theperiphery of the dial is in register with the pawl 20. V

In operation the dial 7 may be turned manually to bring the numeralindicating he desired number of revolutions for the churn operation intoregistering engagement with the pawl 20. Then upon starting the churn,the reciprocating bar 13 rotates the dial one tooth for each revolutionof the churn, the frictional contact between the dial hub and thestandard holding the dial against reverse movement by the return oi thepawl and also preventing the dial from over-running the forward movementof the pawl.

WV hen the series of teeth have been advanced by the pawl to the 0point, the alarm bell is automatically actuated, signalling the operatorthat the churning or working operation is completed and requires hisattention.

7 The churn may be operated Without actuating, the dial by securing thebar 13 in inoperative position. This may be accomplished by means of apin 27 (Fig. 3) having a suitable hand knob 28 and which is insertablein a cross opening); 29 positioned in the bar 13 so that with the latterdrawn torward to expose the opening 39 between the supports 12 theinsertion of the pin 27 serves to secure the roller '17 out of the pathof the cam 15.

It will now be apparent that l have provided a simple durable andeffective device for the purpose set forth.

I claim as my invention:

1. ln combination with a churn having a rotary drum. a stationarystandard. a f-l A on said standard and having ratchet teeth, alongitudinally slidablc reciproeatory bar supported by said standard, acam carried by said drum. said bar extendi g into the path of said earnand being adapted for longitudinal movement by contact therewith, a pawlpivoted on said bar and extending into overlying engagement with saidratchet teeth, said pawl being operable to rotate said dial a limiteddegree with each movement oi. said bar, a signal device. and means onthe dial arranged to actuate said signal device at a certain position ofsaid dial.

i device of the class described comprising a stationary standard arotatable dial having radial ratchet teeth around its periphery, a pivotsupport for said dial having a be ring in said standard, said pivotsupport being axially movable and having spring tensioned means forretaining said dial in frictional lateral bearing eontactwith saidstandard, a longitudinal slidable bar having its bearing support in saidstandard and movable on an axis substantially parallel to the plane ofsaid dial, a pawl pivotally supported on one end of said bar andextending laterally into operative engagement with the ratchet teeth ofsaid dial, the other end of said bar be ing adapted for actuation by acam carried by a rotating body whereby said pawl elifects theintermittent rotation of said dial a tooth at a time, a signal devicemounted on said standard, and means on the dial arranged to actuate saidsignal device at a certain position of said dial.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

LEONARD F. HEITZ.

